Can't Be Without You
by imaginationxunleashed
Summary: Months ago, the rocker kissed her good-bye in LAX airport. Lately, the red-head beauty has been on his mind a lot and his love for her keeps growing stronger. What will happen if he finds that he can't handle being without her any longer?


The airport was crowded and the two stared at each other for a brief moment. This was goodbye. At least for now. The brunette musician kept the smile plastered on his face to only to hide away his true feelings. Craig didn't want to her to go back so soon. Despite their timing, he couldn't shove off the fact that every time his eyes fell upon the beautiful redhead his heart fluttered. He loved her. No, not like how he loved Manny or Ashley. He really loved her. The two of them might have been screwed up, but with her.. It was almost perfect.

"Well, I should probably just go.", The redhead said, keeping her eyes locked on Craig. "It's going to be a long wait." "Yeah.", Shaking his head, Craig continued to fight himself from caving in and spilling out all his feelings for her. "Thanks again for all your help. You really came through for me." After Ellie said that, Craig smiled. It felt good to know he was able to help the girl he loved. "Just call it even.", He said, shaking his head as he kept the smile on his face and with that said, her arms around his neck, he wrapped his arms around her small frame and held her close, tightly. Holding her, he lowered his head into her neck as he breathed in her scent. He was finding it almost impossible to hold back any longer.

_It's time._ As Ellie pulled back from the hug, Craig let his hand fall slowly to his sides and he began to watch her walk off. When her back was completely facing him, he took in a deep breath and turned around. I got to be strong. It almost felt hard to breathe and he could feel his eyes water. Blinking a few times, he fought them back before he looked over his shoulder to see if Ellie was looking back. If she's looking back, she's mine and I'm hers. Seeing Ellie looking back from a distance, he breathed in and looked at her for a quick second to take it in before he ran back and wrapped his arms tightly around her body and captured her lips in a long, passionate kiss. The ones you'd often see in movies where the person kisses their lover goodbye in the airport.

Breaking the kiss, he kept his forehead rested against hers as he looked deeply into her eyes. "We'll always have LA, right?" "Someday, maybe.", He said, loud enough to hide the fact he was so broken up inside. Craig wasn't sure how he was going to get by when Ellie was back in Toronto and he was here, in California.

**EIGHT MONTHS LATER**

Two months ago he had wrapped up his second debut album and since then, he has toured three states so far. Each state he visited, he held at least ten concerts. Every minute that went by, Ellie had been on his mind. He was hoping to win her heart when he arrived in Toronto which was in a few weeks. Was he going to be able to wait that long for the girl he loved?

"Manning, you're on in five." A deep, raspy voice hollered from outside his dressing room.

"Alright."

Craig sighed and looked at his cell phone, tempted to call his beautiful redhead. Dialing her number, he pressed call. After three rings, he hung up. He wasn't even sure what he was going to say and any minute longer, he would have an angry manager screaming in his ear for keeping his fans waiting.

Grabbing his guitar, he walked on stage and played a few songs. An hour had passed and he closed with the song he wrote about Ellie, _Rescue You_.

_When it seems like you have lost it all,  
When it feels like you're in free fall,  
Going deep into the blue,  
I will rescue you._

Each line of lyrics that spilt from his mouth struck a memory of the two that he could possibly remember when he was gray and old. When the song ended, he ran off the stage. He was scheduled for a signing, but right now - what he needed was Ellie. There was no way he was going to wait. Sure, his career was important to him, but what was more important? Music or Ellie? _Ellie, of course._

Music was his escape when things got rough, it was what gave him the ability to express his true feelings. Ellie. Every moment spent with her - good or bad - was surreal. The feeling he got when he held her in his arms and kissed her. It was so much more than what music could give him.

Walking out of the club, he climbed into a cab with his guitar in hand. Just when Craig closed the door, he found his manager running up to the window. Face red, he was obviously pissed off that the musician decided to blow off his fans for love which was unknown to him.

Rolling down the window, Craig looked at his manager. "I'm sorry. I've got something more important to do."

Taking off, he arrived at LAX fifteen minutes later. With the money he had in his pocket, he was sure he had enough for a last minute ticket. Clothes and other accessories, no care about that. All he cared about was finding the girl he loved, his redhead mess.

After he purchased his ticket, he had enough time to buy himself some clothes to last him some time while he was in Toronto.

"Final call for Flight number 3240 to Toronto, Ontario."

Hearing the final call, he rushed to get on line. Next in line to pay for his clothes, he pulled out the estimated amount to pay for his clothes.

"Have you found everything you need?"

Craig shook his head and watched the woman place the clothes in a bag. Once all was in, he grabbed the bag frantically. The musician had so many thoughts, all at once and he couldn't think straight. While he ran out of the store and over to where he was supposed to be to board the plane, the woman behind the register looked over at him, laughing.

Ten minutes had passed and he was finally on the plane with his bag of clothes and guitar. He placed his instrument above him in the storage then sat anxiously in his seat. Craig couldn't wait to arrive in Canada and confess his love for the redhead beauty. When the plane took off, he shut his eyes, thinking that a nap would help time pass by more fast.

**FIVE HOURS LATER**

In the backseat of the cab, Craig fiddled with his hands, thinking of what to say to Ellie when he arrived at her place. For awhile, the two kept in touch via email and after she moved into her new apartment, he had sent her some CD's that contained a few of new songs that he wrote. As the cab came to a stop, Craig looked out the window.

_This is it._

"Thanks, man." The musician said, handing the cab driver at least $30. After he opened the door, he got out of the cab and grabbed his bag of clothes along with his guitar. Approaching the small apartment, he knocked on the door and waited for an answer.

At least five minutes later and he heard the sound of the knob turning. His eyes locked on the door, waiting to see who it was opening the door. The redhead princess. Craig dropped his bag of clothes along with his guitar and without giving Ellie time to react towards her unexpected visitor, he took a step closer to her and wrapped his arms around her small frame as he roughly pressed his lips against hers. Craig traveled his hand up her spine and behind her neck as he continued to kiss her. Breaking the kiss, he brushed his lips against her cheek and as he whispered, hot air blew into her ear. "I love you."

***Yes, I leave you with a cliff hanger. I shall post another chapter when I get at least twenty reviews.***


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